CLEVELAND — A task-based organization has changed its game plan and waived membership fees to help people who are most at risk, while Ohio is still under a Stay At Home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Umbrella is a company that typically matches seniors who need assistance around the house with things like odd jobs, small repairs and chores, with helpers, which they call “Neighbors," for a fee that allows older Americans to affordably maintain their homes so that they can continue to live independently in the communities they love.
As the coronavirus pandemic began to unfold, Umbrella founder Lindsay Ullman realized that so many of the people her company served would be struggling to get groceries, medications, and supplies.
"We called about one thousand of our members to check in on them, and they told us that getting groceries and medications worried them most," Umbrella's head of marketing Alexis Peschiera told 3News.
"Online services were overloaded, and non-digital members couldn’t use them in the first place—they needed to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone."
To add to that, for those who would be tempted to venture out on their own to get what they need for their everyday lives, medical experts say that seniors, particularly those with underlying health conditions, are the most at-risk for developing severe, and potentially deadly, symptoms related to the coronavirus.
"So we set up a hotline, transformed our app, collaborated with grocery stores and mayors, and started recruiting thousands of volunteers to shop and make deliveries," Peschiera said.
To help make that happen in Cleveland, Umbrella has partnered with Venture For America (VFA), a fellowship program for recent college graduates who want to become startup leaders and entrepreneurs.
"The fastest way for us to make the most impact is to get the word out so that seniors know they can call on us for help, and just as important, make sure volunteers are aware so they can sign up to help their communities," Peschiera said.
Cleveland's VFA senior director Carrie Murphy and VFA fellow Evan Matuszak are on the ground here in Northeast Ohio, spreading the word and helping recruit volunteers to make these crucial deliveries.
"I'm really excited to be leading the charge for recruiting volunteers to help shop and deliver groceries to older adults here in Cleveland," Matuszak told 3News on Saturday morning.
"It's so important to step up for our communities, especially now. It's awesome to see Umbrella and Venture For America bringing this service here."
In four weeks since adapting their business during the coronavirus pandemic, Umbrella has registered volunteers in all 50 states, the company told 3News.
Their volunteers have delivered groceries in over 200 cities nationwide, with requests coming in from seniors for deliveries across the country, and mostly centered so far in areas where coronavirus cases have been the most prominent.
Volunteers who would like to help out can get more information here, and seniors who need assistance can request a delivery here.
There is no cost at this time for services for seniors, however, for each delivery a $10 contribution is suggested for those who can afford it.
"Our goal is to provide affordable options to help adults 60+ stay home safely," Peschiera told 3News. "The small support fee we ask for helps to offset our costs of running the volunteer platform, but we are not making money from these deliveries during our COVID community relief effort."
